Hemorrhagic Pancreatitis in Dogs
When your dog ravaged the garbage can and ate the leftovers from your Sunday roast, you thought nothing of it. Now, he does not want to eat, acts like his stomach hurts and has begun vomiting blood. Your dog needs immediate veterinary treatment to stop the vomiting and dehydration, and prevent the complications of what is likely a case of hemorrhagic pancreatitis--a serious disease that could kill him.
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Significance
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Veterinarians diagnose pancreatitis as an inflammation of the pancreas gland, the gland in your dog's body that secretes digestive enzymes into the small intestine, bicarbonate to neutralize stomach acids, and aids in the absorption of vitamin B12 and other nutrients. A part of the pancreas also manufactures insulin to aid in energy metabolism. When the pancreas becomes acutely inflamed, portions of the gland die off. According to the vets at VetInfo.com, this disease is called "necrotizing" or "hemorrhagic" pancreatitis and requires "early intervention and aggressive treatment" to keep your dog alive.
Causes
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In "Common Diseases of Companion Animals," Dr. Alleice Summers says that while the exact cause of acute pancreatitis is unknown, the disease is more prevalent in obese dogs. A diet high in fat, as well as drugs such as "furosemide, azathioprine, sulfonamides and tetracycline have been suspected of causing pancreatitis. In addition, edema of the duodenal wall, parasites, tumors and trauma may also result in pancreatitis." She goes on to say "pancreatitis is commonly a postholiday disease" and warns against feeding table scraps from roast, ham or turkey due the high fat content from these meats that can result in acute signs of the disease.
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Symptoms
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Dogs with pancreatitis exhibit symptoms of depression, lack of appetite, lethargy, extreme vomiting, and the presence or absence of diarrhea. They become dehydrated with a fever and show abdominal pain upon palpation. As the disease progresses to the hemorrhagic variety, they vomit blood, go into systemic shock with kidney and liver failure, collapse and eventually die without treatment.
Diagnosis and Treatment
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Veterinarians use a physical examination, blood tests (including a complete blood count and serum chemistries), abdominal X-rays and sometimes an abdominal ultrasound to determine if your dog has hemorrhagic pancreatitis. Once a diagnosis is made, your dog will most likely be hospitalized, placed on intravenous fluids and taken off any food or water for three to four days to rest the pancreas. The veterinarian commonly administers an analgesia to combat abdominal pain and antibiotics to ward off any secondary infections. In severe cases of hemorrhagic pancreatitis, surgery may be necessary to remove a pancreatic abscess, cyst or peritonitis, say the vets at PetPlace.com.
Considerations
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While pancreatitis occurs in both dogs and cats, the typical patient is an overweight female dog over seven years of age with a history of a recent fatty meal. The miniature schnauzer, cocker spaniel and miniature poodle appear to have a predilection for the disease, although any breed is susceptible, according to VetConnect.com.
Prevention/Solution
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Because the disease can easily recur, doctors often recommend that owners place their dogs on a low-fat diet, never feed table scraps or allow their dogs to get into the garbage. Your dog may need to go on a strict diet to lose weight and may require extensive follow-up visits to the vet clinic until his blood chemistries return to normal. Dr. Summers states that "most patients will recover with prompt treatment; however, some dogs may die even with prompt and proper treatment."
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit majestic cocker image by Martin Woodward from Fotolia.com
